[thrive_headline_focus title=”Roth 401k or not Roth 401k?” orientation=”left”]
Which is better, more money in your paycheck or more tax-free cash in your retirement? It’s an important question only you can answer.
According to a 2017 research paper at Harvard Business School, employees who have the option to contribute to a Roth 401(k) instead of a traditional 401(k) tend to contribute the same amount to either account. Given that a Roth 401k tends to result in more money taken out of your paycheck every week or month than a traditional 401k, that’s unexpected!
Traditional 401k contributions are made on a pre-tax basis while Roth 401k contributions are made post-tax . So, assuming a given level of cash flow available, most of the time contributions to a traditional 401k will be easier than contributions to a Roth 401k because traditional plans drive your annual taxable income lower. You’ll still have to pay taxes on the contributions later when you retire. but the “taxable event” is deferred.
Take the case of Priya, a 49-year-old single mom. She makes $135,000 a year and lives alone with her son. Not counting her employer’s match, Priya saves $350 per pay period in her traditional 401k, totaling $9,100 a year. Absent other considerations, her $9,100 contribution reduces her annual taxable income from $135,000 to $125,900. As a result, since her taxable income is less, she will pay less income taxes.
[pullquote align=”normal”]Roth 401ks and Roth IRAs are not tax-free: they are merely taxed differently [/pullquote]
What if Priya were to switch her contributions to her company’s Roth 401k? She is considering contributing the same amount: $9,100. However, because contributions to a Roth are post-tax , they would no longer reduce Priya’s taxable income. Thus, she would pay taxes on $135,000 instead of $125,900. Hence Priya would end up owing more taxes for the year.
No brainer for the traditional 401k, right? Wrong. Roth 401ks provide one major advantage. If Priva switched to the Roth and maintained her contribution level, she might end up with more income in retirement as Roth 401k distributions in retirement are tax-free , whereas traditional 401k distributions are taxed as income . However, switching her contribution to the Roth would be at the expense of her current cash flow. Can Priya afford it?
What if she would reduce her Roth contribution to keep her current cash flow constant? In that case, it is not clear that Priya’s after-tax income in retirement would be higher or lower with a Roth 401k than with a traditional 401k. Answers would require further analysis of her situation.
It’s important to remember that Roth 401ks and Roth IRAs are not tax-free: they are merely taxed differently . That makes the decision to invest in a Traditional or a Roth 401k is an important financial planning decision : employees need to understand the benefits and drawbacks of both approaches to make an informed decision that balances current spending desires with future income needs.
According to John Beshears, the lead author of the Harvard study, one possible explanation for his finding is that people are confused about the tax properties of the Roth . Another possibility could be that people have greater budget flexibility than they give themselves credit for. Either way, employees should seek additional support before making this very important decision.
A prior version of this article appeared in Kiplinger and Nasdaq.com
Check out out other retirement posts:
Is the new tax law an opportunity for Roth conversions
Rolling over your 401(k) to an IRA
7 IRA rules that could save you time and money
Doing the Solo 401k or SEP IRA Dance
Tax season dilemna: invest in a Traditional or a Roth IRA